Like making it to the Dick Road Amtrak station just
in time. Like arriving at Penn Station at least a half hour late. That put us
out on the street just at 5:00 PM when traffic was at its worst turning what
otherwise would have been a cheap ten minute cab ride to our hotel into a
thirty minute crawl with little to watch in passing but the meter climbing.
Checked in and cleaned up we hailed a cab and headed to one
of our favorite watering holes, Whisky Park at 6th and Central Park
South. Veuve Cliquot for Shelley, local IPA on tap for me. That’s where we met
Johanna. “I’m traveling with a group from Australia,” she said by way of intro.
“But sometimes I just have to get away from them and have a glass of wine by
myself.”
Chatty Johanna, a jewelry dealer from Albury, New South
Wales, filled us in on her tour so far, Rod Stewart in Las Vegas was a
highlight, her feelings about immigrants to Australia, she doesn’t care for
them much, and her dismay at the American custom of tipping for service. She
had a stack of coins in front of her on the bar. ”It took me four days to
accumulate these. Do you think it’s all right to leave them as a tip?” she
asked.
She did. She left. “Most of them don’t tip at all,” said our
lovely bartender.
We opted for another round.
Then it was time to stagger a few blocks down 6th
to Benoit where we had dinner reservations. The last time we dined there it was
a brutally cold, snowy winter night. We were practically alone. It was warm and
cozy and the fare was hearty, just what was needed. This time the joint was
jumping, tables full of folks clearly enjoying themselves. Benoit is meant to
appear more authentic Parisian bistro than any in Paris and succeeds admirably.
The service is impeccable; the food is as authentic as it is good. Cassoulet
for me preceded by a county salad (who knew that those country folk put so much
bacon in their salads) washed down with glasses of a robust French red. Salmon
for Shelley accompanied by more French champagne. A glass of Muscat to finish
the evening.
Then to bed.
More tomorrow
